How many of you remember the WPA [Work Projects Administration] from the depression years? You can get a glimpse of the sewer project in Concordia at 3:26 into one of my dad’s old movies Scenes around town in the 1940’s. When was this project started and how long did it last? (A little research into the Concordian archives would answer this.) I can recall staring down into the ditch as they dug up the street in front of our house on Bismark St. when I was a youngster.

Looking at the 1940 census records, one can see that there were 36 men in the Concordia area who listed their occupation as working on the WPA sewer project. There were a lot of specialties listed; tile layer, mortar mixer, carpenter, ditch digger, laborer, general helper, truck driver, truck helper, concrete worker, brick layer, junior clerk, time keeper, chief time keeper, foreman, and finally “out-of-towner” superintendent Walter Bumgarner.

That wasn’t the only WPA connection. The WPA also funded a library project with Ruth Brownfield and Leona Bertram listed as librarians.

If you haven’t seen the 1940 census records, you can find them on-line at various websites or check them out at the Concordia Library. They will probably bring back a lot of memories of the people you knew.

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou can download files in this forum